A Little Hello

Hello and welcome little lovlies!
An introduction for starters, I think is in order. Little Orchestra is run by me, Britney Kaplan. I'm a native to Portland, OR and a full time musician and music nerd. I suppose that an introduction to my life with music is probably as good a place to start as any!

I argue that music was in my blood from the beginning. As a tot my favorite toy was a little rainbow 8-key piano. At the age of 8, I had bugged my parents enough to begin piano lessons. When I was 12 I started tinkering around with the pieces I was learning. After a while, my teachers started insisting I learn the music as written first, so I stubbornly started writing my own compositions. I thought that no one would be able to tell me what to do if I had written it myself. How young! How beautifully naive! As a teenager I was introduced to the FearNoMusic's Young Composers Project when I received composition instruction and the ability to work with live musicians. I entered into many piano and composition competitions as a teenager and won a number of awards varying locally to placing second in a regional competition. The things I learned from the YCP got me into the San Francisco Conservatory of Music studying with Eleanor Armor where I received a BM in Composition. In my last year of college I began working intently for Magik*Magik Orchestra as Minna Choi's right hand. Through her work I learned the art of arranging for numerous variables for recording studio sessions and live events, how to manage productions from extra large to very small, how to work with clients and other various aspects to running a business. I still continue to work with Magik since I've moved back to Portland. Wanting more work, however, I started Little Orchestra in the same vein as Magik with Minna's blessing and patient guidance.

In addition to running Little Orchestra, I also am a piano technician and tuner. I suppose between composition and the piano, there's just a part of my brain that likes to take things apart and piece them back together. It's a joy to be able to be around pianos all day. I also play in the band, FleaPaw with my brother and we've recently recorded some demos. Stay tuned on that front!

Tuning a Baldwin grand

Outside of all the music I go to as many concerts as I possibly can, I study and teach martial arts at the Academy of Modern Martial Arts in Lake Oswego, and spend as much time as I can with a cup of tea, a good book or colored pencils, and kitty cuddles.

I suppose that is enough of a little hello for the moment. Let me know what you'd like to hear more about and check back to see what creative and musical things we are cooking up!

Warmly,
B